sympathetically with the sounds to which it is subjected . Next , the sound information moves to the inner ear . Conductive hearing loss results when the sound information is blocked from the inner ear .
This type of hearing loss can be caused by abnormal bone growth , infection , earwax buildup , fluid in the middle ear , or a punctured eardrum .
AURAL HYPERSENSITIVITY Some people are more sensitive to sounds than others . To the hypersensitive listener , even normal sounds can cause pain — loud sounds might be intolerable . There are two primary types of hypersensitivity to sound : hyperacusis and recruitment .
HYPERACUSIS People with hyperacusis have essentially no hearing loss . In fact , they are abnormally sensitive to certain sounds — even common sounds cause pain or discomfort . Those who experience this condition often rely on earplugs and other noise reducers to participate in everyday activities .
Occasionally , tinnitus accompanies hyperacusis . The potential causes for this hypersensitivity to sounds are suspected to be noise exposure causing subtle damage to the ear , head injuries , and dysfunctions in brain chemistry . sensorineural hearing damage . A person with recruitment differs from a person with hyperacusis in a couple primary ways :
• Someone with recruitment is primarily bothered by loud sounds , whereas the person with hyperacusis also experiences discomfort with moderately loud sounds .
• Recruitment is present in people with hearing loss — those with hyperacusis do not have hearing loss .
People with hyperacusis have essentially no hearing loss . In fact , they are abnormally sensitive to certain sounds - even common sounds cause pain or discomfort . your mix is way too loud — that it hurts — and you might sincerely believe your mix is perfectly acceptable in volume , tone , and balance . Each of you is correct from your own perspective .
Earplugs are not always helpful in this instance — there is already hearing loss present , and it is probably most extreme in the high frequencies . Simply using foam earplugs might minimize the high frequencies that are necessary for speech discernment , while negligibly affecting the frequencies that cause discomfort .
A possible solution for the recruitment sufferer is the modern hearing aid . Digital units are capable of adjusting for many deficiencies in hearing , including damage , specific frequency deficiencies , and recruitment issues .
EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER Once you understand some of the causes behind comments you receive during the course of operating sound , you ’ re likely to find it easier to sympathize with the volume-sensitive crowd . They ’ re not crazy , and neither are you . If you are educated about potential hearing differences and the effects of loud sounds and hearing damage , you ’ ll be a much greater asset .
This article has been excerpted from The Ultimate Live Sound Operator ’ s Handbook by Bill Gibson .
Many people with hyperacusis rely on earplugs to shield their ears from common everyday sounds , even at low volumes . It has been discovered that this practice increases the problem rather than aiding it . Sufferers of hyperacusis are encouraged to use ear protection when in the presence of sounds above 85 dB .
RECRUITMENT Recruitment refers to abnormal loudness sensitivity , which often accompanies
A person with recruitment might merely feel bothered by loud sounds , but in acute cases this condition is very uncomfortable . In addition , the difference between acceptable and unacceptable volume might only be a matter of a few decibels — sound pressure levels don ’ t necessarily need to increase dramatically to surpass the threshold of comfort .
When someone complains about volume , he or she might be suffering from recruitment and not know it . That person might sincerely believe
Bill Gibson Teacher at Berklee College of Music Online and The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences ( CRAS ), content creator for LinkedIn Learning , and author of more than fifty books and videos about live sound and studio recording . Most recent book releases : The Ultimate Live Sound Operator ’ s Handbook , 3rd Edition , and The First 50 Recording Techniques You Should Know to Track Music . He also recently self-published an eBook / Audiobook combo called Stream Great-Sounding Audio : Guide for Streaming Church Services and Other Events and will soon be releasing Recording and Mixing Drums with recording icons , Al Schmitt , Chuck Ainlay , Ed Cherney , Elliot Scheiner , Frank Filipetti , George Massenburg , and Niko Bolas . billgibsoncourses . com